Category: Work

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Amanda’s 2014 review

I know I had neglected my blog again. It had been a long while since I blogged 🙁

It’s the first entry of year 2015!! Happy New Year! This year we went to a friend’s place to welcome the new year. Guess how we spent the 1st minute of the new year? Of course, we drank champagne! So as the saying goes or rather the Amanda’s theory – “If you spent the first minute of the new year drinking champagne, you will be drinking champagne for the rest of the year!!” May this be a prophecy for all who still reads my blog!!! *cheers!!*

2014 had gone by in a flash. Let me try to recall some highlights-

Jan/Feb
The first 2.5 months of 2014 was spent in Singapore. Little would i know that this will be the LAST long vacation I will have for a long long time. I had an enjoyable time with family and friends. BH and I finally spent CNY in Singapore and gave out angbaos for the first time since we are married!! We also redeemed our expiring Krisflyer miles and traveled to Bali in Business Class! I love our Bali vacation so much.. probably the best vacation ever!!

March
We returned to Seattle and decided that we can no longer stay in the crappy apartment.We found a fabulous new community to move to. The rent is expensive but we decided that we wanted to enjoy our lives and save on other areas, so we moved. I think God had planned for this all along. After committing ourselves to the new apartment lease, we received good news of our PR status. This means that I can work and help out with saving more! The fear of increased rent was uncalled for! Just when I thought looking for a job will take me a long time…. someone sent an email within the Singaporean Meetup group, saying that his firm have a job vacancy. I applied and started working the next week! This is the reason why I can no longer go back to Singapore for long vacation already. By the way, that was the first resume I sent!!! (I am still working for him now.. my boss is by far the BEST I have ever had!)

April
Hosted Keurig Houseparty – I received a Keurig coffee maker for free!!! so happy to get selected!

May
Stopped volunteering to focus on my new job. Other than that, I can’t recall anything much

June
Trip to Napa Valley!! The first trip we took since I started working!

July
Bing and I discovered that our apartment have 2 fancy grills. We were like grilling steaks every 2 weeks! so delicious!
We also went to Seattle Sounders game with friends.

August
We finally took our post wedding pictures! The pictures turned out great!! Happy that I have 1 thing off my bucket list! 🙂
We also went on a trip to Alaska with Dave and Jo!! Travelling together was so much fun- we will remember this adventure for life!

September
Happy 6th wedding anniversary to us! BH was busy with work but he still spend time to create an album with our photos!

October
Nothing exciting? Bing was working alot

November
Also nothing worth mentioning…

December

Went for Health check and was told that I have high cholesterol!! It is amazing how much I neglected my health when I start working 🙁
Our vacation to Cancun, Mexico!! Such a relaxing trip!! I really love the all inclusive resort experience!!!
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I guess that sums up my year in 2014!

In 2015, I will
1) go to work on time and leave work on time everyday
2) go to the gym or zumba at least 2 times a week
3) blog at least once a week
4) study hard to get my paraplanning certification

Just like last year, I hope that more good things will come our way and that our family&friends will stay healthy and happy!
Happy New Year! 🙂

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The working me

It’s not easy to be a good employee and a good wife at the same time.

Let’s just say BH and I started our life here with me not working. When I went back to work, our lifestyle needs to get adjusted. I could no longer clean the house on a weekday and sometimes, I get too tired to cook after work. This is when I really miss being back in SG – at least I have a nice home-cooked meal by my mum when I go home after work.

For now, if I don’t pull myself together and cook, we got to eat rubbish food outside. Blah…Housework have to be done on a weekend – just glad that BH is willing to give me a hand after my nagging repeated plead for help.

Those who are still living with or near your parents… ENJOY IT while it last.

Such is the life of us now.

 

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Crazy month of March

It’s been a while since I last updated. I meant to update more often but I was just too tired and busy.

The month of March had been extremely challenging for me or us. I am glad that it’s over! Now we are starting everything anew!

Here’s the updates –

Wisdom teeth

On the last day of February, I extracted my wisdom teeth. Everything seem fine. However, I noticed that the left side of my mouth/ jaw area is numb! I was horrified. It just does not feel the same as before. I went for my post-op exam and the dentist told me that one of my tooth was pretty near a nerve. The nerve could be bruised during the extraction and there is nothing I can do except to wait for it to heal by itself. Gosh! Anyway, it’s a month after the surgery and the numbness indeed wore off. I still feel the numbness at times but it’s getting better 🙂 Will be going for another post-op later this month

Mr Hyde

It was injured!!! Heart pain 🙁 Someone in BH’s office reversed into its rear. Luckily the impact was low. The guy is at fault and his insurance paid for our damages. We managed to get it fixed! Still, it was a painful experience.

We moved

Finally!! Moving is very tiring, we still have things which we have not unpacked. I am enjoying this new place except that the toilet sink is leaking 🙁 The maintenance team came to have it fixed.. hopefully, they did a good job.

I turned 30

I thought I was going to enjoy my birthday by doing my hair, going for pedicures and pedicures, eating something good. Turns out that we need to move because BH is going to a conference. I technically didn’t celebrate my birthday. We had cake though. Shall blog more on this.

Home alone

This month also marks the FIRST time ever in the states that I stayed alone as BH went for a conference in Utah. I am glad that we moved, staying home alone at our new place feels so much safer.

Green card + work

The biggest and best news! We got our Green Card status on the last week of February. This means I can officially work. The week after, I got a job offer and I accepted it! I am working now! The working hours are Mon-Fri 10-4,so I can still come home to cook and do housework. My boss is very kind and understanding so far, I am really happy. He is also cool that I leave earlier on Fridays for volunteering! Pay wise, it is on the low side but I am entering a new industry and learning something new! Really relieved that I can find a job! What more can i ask for?! Thank you God for answering my prayers and opening this door for me!

Pulled over by police

On the last day of March, when I thought March is going to be over…….The police pulled me over on my way to work!! Well, it’s a FIRST time for me. I was super scared!!! Turns out that my car license tab had expired. He gave me a warning. Thank God!

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Eventful March right?? Shall take it slow from now on….

 

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Binghuan’s 2013 Year In Review!

Numbers just keep adding up doesn’t it?
Things were sort of chaotic this year.

1) We move to an older place. First time we compromised our living conditions in hope of savings. We did save more alright but not sure if its worth our sanity.

2) I changed teams for the first time in MS. Sort of change since I rejoined my old lead and another colleague. I don’t think that was a mistake, leaving my comfort zone. It also made me realize how much more I like Kirkland compared to Bellevue. Still love Redmond too..

3) We went out of our way to look for a home for us. We were really serious and I think we found a place (Took months cause we were soooo picky) that we know we would love only to finally decide against it. I will put that blame on me. Won’t go into details why but we just didn’t.

4) We didn’t go for any travel at all (beside San Jose which I will go into later). Once again, to save money…

5) I won a Hackathon! My very first one too, the Paypal Hackathon was an eye-opener. I got to visit Paypal HQ, meet new people, play with new technology. It was tiring but I have no regrets. The final for the big money was sort of a let-down, the other teams that placed in top 3 was okie and I thought we did well enough to place but apparently not. Maybe it was the MS connection that pulled us down.

6) Lots of savings! I just calculated and it was incredible the amount we saved this year. It is hard to see the amount as it is spread across a few accounts but I was really glad the compromised above wasn’t for nothing.

2014 will be a super exciting year, I cannot even wait!
1) GC process is finally moving to the last stage. Which means I will get GC, Amanda can be free to choose what she wants to do! For me is probably more of a job security as I can jump to other places but I can’t really decide if I want to. I have some friends here, and Seattle isn’t that bad besides the cold weather. San Fran would be nice but property is so expensive there that I can’t really put myself through moving all the way there.

2) We might just decide to move to another rental if the HDB appeal failed. No point suffering, and lots of new places around so maybe we will just move to enjoy 1 more year of rental.

3) I do want to return to Vegas with Amanda. We skipped it for 2013, lets return to our annual routine. 🙂
We will also be flying first class to… BALI haha on SQ. Okie, short trip but hey still first class! Can’t wait for that too.

Some longer term goals?
1) I really want to go Peru and visit Machu Picchu. Not sure when but soon I hope. If not too old to climb… 🙁

2) The elusive home that we can grow our family in. I really hope appeal goes through and allow us to sell our hdb.

3) Maybe a cute dog? 🙂

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tired but happy

this is how ‘passion’ for your work should feel like 🙂

I am a proud CEO of my ‘shop’  – Love it!! Sincerely, thank every single friend/customer for giving me their support, trust. Above all, thank you for recommending me to others. If you read this.. Thank you!!!

Yesterday, I saw with my own eyes that my email was forwarded from Company X > Company Y > Company Z! WOW!!! Thank you!! I’m so touched!

I also saw someone recommending me on a forum and someone ( who I don’t know) stood up for me when 1 member of the forum is talking nonsense and untrue things! Thank you!!!

You bet…I am tired as I only had shut-eye for 4 hours and had been continuously replying emails from my time 4am to 11.45am… I’m not blogging nonsense.. but I am seriously grateful and happy!! 😀

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Happy New Year 2010 (Binghuan’s version)

Another new year another new place, not sure if I should consider it a blessing? Having to move so much furniture with the help of another guy is just torture, but somehow I feel happy that I did it. I think that almost sums up 2009 for me? It is just more and more new experience of stuff I would never go through if I didn’t jump up such a wonderful chance.

New experiences of staying independent without anyone’s help, just me and my wife? Having to go to market every week or two. Having to clean up dishes every night. Having to make the bed every morning, having to clean my own clothes, having to do all the things which one may have taken for granted last time as we are all so well-taken care of by our parents last time. Is this considered to be growing up? Well I think I took a bit longer than others to be going through all these. I cannot imagine myself turning the big 3 but here I am staring at it as it comes heading to my direction like a bullet train. *sigh*

No time to waste thinking about what if, what could, maybe? That’s why I am a die hard Nike fan now. Just Do It. Damnit just do it!
Why bother thinking about money… time is actually more expensive as you can’t really save it… If you want it, get it. (Of course only get it if you can afford it.)

So here I am, at my brand new place (which I hope would be more permanent is moving is just too tiring :p) Staring outside, waiting for the new year firework. Thinking about the many other places I want to go and see. I picked up a new form of hobby in photography in 2009. Something I am quite proud of actually! 🙂 I always loved doing design but time was never there for me to do all the design on the website that I dreamt of last time… Was just telling Amanda “Hey you know this site was something similar to what I wanted to do last time, but I had no time…” So I am very happy I got a dslr, although it cost a few hundred, at least it was instant gratification. I can see my work of art immediately! Plus it helps when I travel and take photos of the places…

Sorry for the randomness of this entry, jumping here and there. Think I haven’t blogged for too long and am too rusty. Back to 2009…

2009, visited some places like Whistler where the 2010 Winter Olympics is going to be held! Visited some of the more famous city in USA, like Las Vegas and the more boring one like San Antonio. Went to my very first tulips farm? Should really have gone out more… but we were on a mission in saving. And did we saved. We saved almost twice of what we did last time when both of us were working in Singapore. This year is no different. We will still be on a saving mission. You can imagine Amanda asking why I leave the TV on with no one watching… heh

And the thing about 2010 which we are not really looking forward to is we have to go back to settle our VISA and home… not that we don’t want to go back and see our families, its just that going back is going to hurt our saving mission… We will probably be back around Aug, Sept period… and stop over at Seoul for a short visit. We cannot even leave USA as our VISA won’t allow us to re enter USA… So 2010 only overseas trip will be Singapore.

What else to look forward for 2010? Hmmm, windows mobile 7 😀
Yea hopefully it can be strong enough to fight with iphone (kinda of hard)

Resolutions…
– I think I have been really bad to my body, so my resolution is to at least exercise once a week with the help of my personal trainer Amanda Goh.

I can’t really think of anything else actually. I love my wife like forever already. (Lub her deep deep is what we usually say in Singlish)
Hope the firework later is worth it, will post pics if I have good shots. 🙂

Happy new year to all!

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Happy New Year! Binghuan’s Perspective

Happy New Year! What a year… so many things have happened this year for me… let’s do a recap first…

1) Married the most wonderful companion I could asked for.
2) Got to work in the company that I dream of when I was young
3) Seeing snow for the first time!
4) Purchasing my first car
5) Renting a loft!

Most of it seems to be related to my new job which I am sort of enjoying at the moment, just hate the commute to work sometimes, but I have great colleagues so there isn’t much more then I could ask for out of my job.

And it was this year where I truly realise what a wonderful cook my wife is! It is a relief that at the end of a tiring day, I have hot readymade dinner waiting for me at home. All thanks to my love 🙂

Snow was nothing actually, it was just cold and icy. And the roads will be blocked if there is heavy snow which traps us at home. That sucks although I really like to work from home. lol, hopefully our Earth gets better and there will be less snow here…

I wished I had a better car but decided to save some money and get a car within my means. Not that a Honda Fit is a bad car, but I *might* change a car next year… have to build a good credit history before changing…

The loft is the exciting part! Can you imagine a loft? Something we will not have back in Singapore. At least I don’t think I would pay a huge amount to get it back at Singapore. Then the problem is we need to get some stylo milo furniture and deco to make the loft look cool. Sigh. think we will have to do that slowly…

So that was roughly the exciting year for me, resolutions? Hmmm I hope that I can contribute to my work significantly and hopefully be able to get promoted at the end of year? Quite hard but I will try. Think I need to work hard now especially with the economy looking so gloomy everywhere…

I hope to be able to just enjoy couple hood life with Amanda. Like we are here, with nothing much to worry about and just enjoy our time here like its honeymoon every weekend. More specifically, there are places which we must visit! San Diego Zoo, Disney Land, Yellowstone, San Fran, Los Angeles, New York, Hawaii. Lol mainly all the attractions in the state and even Mexico or South America cities like Argentina or Brazil sounds exciting to me.

I am not going to ask for too much next year as time seems to pass so fast nowadays, I hope my friends and family will still remember me even though I may seem to have neglected them. Been just too tired everyday and the timezone difference is certainly not helping. Just want to tell you (if any of them comes) that I miss everyone back in Singapore.

May all of us have a good year ahead of us and that the world becomes a better place. 🙂

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It is official!

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Yes I am PC! Work just started so there is a lot of learning and catching up to do for me. The good thing is my manager and team mates are really cool friendly guys. But I always have the mentality that I am not up to it, which I should not have in the first place. Going to have to read book this weekend to learn more.

[singlepic=106,300,320,,] That is the starbucks coffee machine which is one of the many benefits working here. 🙂 Btw, my work is not in the main MS campus but over at the Seattle side. Got pros and cons like parking/housing is so expensive at Seattle side, but there is a lot more things going on at Seattle side. Anyway some other perks include free transportation pass for employee, medical & dental care, life insurance, the usual stuff. Some more unusual stuff cause I am working in the Mobile team, I get to pick a smart phone for free soon! And also cause I work in Seattle, I get to opt out of parking for $150 in reimbursement to park my car at my place instead! That means I have to walk/take shuttle to work though which I am quite ok with.

[singlepic=107,300,320,,right] I just had a interesting time at Seattle today, check out the photos! It was a beautiful weather today. 🙂

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There was some gay rights demonstration when I reached downtown… very interesting

[singlepic=112,300,320,,right] I then went over to Pike Place Market which is actually their version of ChatuChak Market in Bangkok, inside got lots of china sellers.

[singlepic=120,300,320,,right] This should be the first Starbucks in Seattle, I still need to confirm this again…

[singlepic=125,300,320,,right] And finally the needle, I use it to roughly know the direction to go around actually, very useful!